Because I Love You
by bucktooth22
Summary: Thorin is the young prince, and now king. He was raised with his servant Bilbo. Bilbo serves his master with unwavering loyalty and love and has done so since he was sold into slavery to his young master. THILBO BAGGENSHIELD ONESHOT SLAVE AU FLUFF
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the hobbit.

Bilbo was made to work from the age of three. His mother had begged to be allowed to bring him to the castle to look after him while she was caring for the young prince with the two other caretakers as the king and queen had more important things to do. She had been preparing food for the young prince when he broke out of his crib and managed to get himself stuck in a hole in the wall, head first. Bilbo, having been left on the floor to entertain himself, found the prince and un-stuck his head. Maya, the head nanny, approached and, seeing baby Bilbo and crying baby Thorin, had slapped the small hobbit across the face. Thorin's crying stopped immediately and he grabbed onto the hobbit, holding him tightly against his body. Maya had tried in vain to pry the two apart but after a few hours it was evident that Bilbo was Thorin's favorite new toy. The dwarf prince would not be separated from the hobbit, and brought him everywhere, dragging him along by the hand as if he were a doll. The king and queen were distressed at their son's attachment to the lowly creature and fired Mrs. Baggins. She got sick as the years went on, and when Bilbo was three, she died. Thorin's parents acquired the boy as a slave pet to appease their son, not even knowing it was his once favorite toy. Thorin remembered him though, and grew attached once again. Bilbo was made to sit outside the room when Thorin was tutored, made the young prince meals, cleaned his room, and anything else the dwarf desired. They grew up in that manner, Bilbo servant to his master and soon enough, at the young age of seventeen the dwarf became king. With the entire castle at his disposal, he still never tired of demanding chores of Bilbo who never tired of pleasing his master.

"Why do you do this Bilbo?" Thorin asked one day as Bilbo watched his king eating dinner.

"Do what sire?" Bilbo asked as he refilled Thorin's glass.

"You take such good care of me." Thorin said.

"My purpose is to bring you pleasure master." Bilbo responded.

"And if I were to set you free from your bonds?" Thorin asked. When Bilbo was first taken on as a slave he was made to wear shackles on his legs, they clanked loudly and gave Bilbo terrible sores on his legs and when, despite Bilbo's attempts to hide his misery, Thorin saw the marks on Bilbo's ankles, he'd cried for a week until his parents had allowed Bilbo to be free of his chains, not of his bondage though. Bilbo was shackled with the biting chain of slavery. Thorin had never wanted to free Bilbo, fearing the hobbit would leave him.

"I would stay by your side. I shall remain yours until the end of my days sire. Bonds or no bonds I am yours." Bilbo said as he began clearing up Thorin's plates.

"Why?" Thorin asked.

"You are my king; it is my honor to serve you sir." Bilbo said.

"I wish to go hunting tomorrow. Make sure my pony is well rested and taken care of for tomorrow. Prepare my saddle and hunting gear and make sure I have something to eat for the morning before the ride. You know how I hate riding out on an empty stomach." Thorin said.

"Yes sire." Bilbo said as he moved towards the door with the stack of plates and cups and silverware. "Is that all?" Bilbo asked.

"Tell no one of this. I wish for it to be just the two of us." Thorin said, seeing Bilbo tense. Thorin knew Bilbo disliked hunting.

"Are you sure you do not wish for a more suitable companion for this outing?" Bilbo asked.

"I am. Do not question me Bilbo." Thorin said as he stood from his table. "When you are done with the dishes and before you see to all that come here I wish to retire for the night." Thorin said.

"Yes sire. I apologize." Bilbo said before bowing and leaving the room. In an hour Bilbo returned and changed Thorin's clothes before tucking him into bed. Bilbo hummed a sweet little tune that he'd learned from his mother before she died and soon enough Thorin was snoring, fast asleep. Bilbo set off to complete the tasks given to him by his master. He mucked out the stable, fed and watered the ponies, gave them each a blanket for the chilly night, cleaned Thorin's saddle, laid out his hunting clothes and gear, prepared a quick meal for the king, and then went back to Thorin's bedroom. He scrubbed the floor until it shone; it was hard work after Thorin's messy dinner. Bilbo made a mental note to make something less messy next time. It was nearing dawn so Bilbo curled up on the floor at the end of Thorin's bed for a few hours sleep before he had to rise to do it all again.

In the morning when Thorin awoke he found his room, spotless, his clothes lay out, his gear packed and loaded onto his already saddled pony, and his breakfast sitting on the table. He smiled as he looked out the window at Bilbo preparing his own pony for the ride. By the time he'd finished eating and getting dressed Bilbo had everything prepared and waiting. He hopped on his pony and they were off. Thorin led Bilbo to the spot he usually left the horses and they dismounted. "Bilbo?" Thorin called. Bilbo hurried to his side.

"Yes sire?" Bilbo asked.

"I free you." Thorin said. Bilbo was silent; he tied the horse's reins to a tree branch and gathered the supplies. "Did you not hear me? I free you from your bond." Thorin said.

"I heard you sire." Bilbo said as he put the pack on his back and turned to his dwarf master.

"Then what are you still doing?" Thorin asked.

"My job sir." Bilbo responded flatly.

"It's not your job anymore." Thorin said making Bilbo frown deeply.

"Sir, I have seen you through betrothals and breakups, bad times and beautiful ones, I tuck you in at night and wake you in the mornings. I live for you, to please you, to take care of you; there is nothing else I know how to do. Nothing else I want to do sir. So please don't fire me because I'd die. My life would no longer have a purpose." Bilbo said.

"Do you love me Bilbo?" Thorin asked.

"Yes master." Bilbo said.

"Just because you were told to as a slave or because I'm your master?" Thorin asked.

"Because you are the most wonderful person I have ever met." Bilbo said.

"I mean...do you...love me?" Thorin asked again. "As in...Romantically." He clarified. Bilbo thought for a moment.

"Do you want me to?" He asked. Thorin frowned.

"I don't want you to love me like that because I want you to. I want you to love me like that because you just do." Thorin complained.

"I've loved you like that since I pulled your head from that hole in the wall." Bilbo said smiling.

"Why did you never say anything?" Thorin huffed with a pout.

"I did not wish to bother you with such trivial matters." Bilbo responded smiling. Thorin sighed and got out his bow. He loved Bilbo but he was a hobbit and a slave no less. A lesser being that he, and yet, he loved him. It could never be, Thorin had to have an heir, something Bilbo could not produce for him. He went back and forth, round and round with the thought until he could think of it no more. His stomach was in knots and his thoughts were fuzzy and muddled. The two went back to their ponies unsuccessful with the "hunt" something they had mixed opinions on.

"Do you not have any hobbit suitors?" Thorin asked as they started their slow trot home.

"I spend all my time taking care of you. I do not have time to build relationships with anyone else sire." Bilbo said. Thorin felt relieved that he could have Bilbo all to himself, frustrated that he could not pass Bilbo along to one of his suitors, and sad that Bilbo had no free time at all for himself. Thorin slowed his pony to a stop just outside the castle gates.

"I love you like that too." Thorin said looking down at his hands rather than at Bilbo.

"But you must know sire. As well as I do at least, that it can never be." Bilbo said. "We're from different worlds, you and I."

"Would it be such a bad thing? If our two worlds were to...collide?" Thorin asked looking longingly at his hobbit.

"If a slave and his king were to wed? There would be unrest throughout the land to say the least." Bilbo said.

"Surly they would understand. We are in love." Thorin said reaching out to take Bilbo's hand.

"I love you master and you say you love me. But we both know it can never be. The two of us will never work. Your duties you would definitely shirk." Bilbo said slipping his hand out of Thorin's.

"I love you." Thorin whispered as he got off his horse.

"I'm sorry sir. I love you too. But this hobbit, you cannot woo. Maybe in another life. But in this one you need a wife." Bilbo said as he too slipped off his horse.

"I love you." Thorin said as he slipped his hands into Bilbo's.

"My master, I am yours to take but fires of rage we will wake. You need an heir, someone to lead. That is not something I can breed."

"I love you." Thorin shouted.

"Hush sir they'll certainly hear you-" Bilbo didn't get to finish his rhyme. Thorin had yanked the hobbit to him, pressing their lips together. His arms slipped around Bilbo's waist and held him close. For being so against it, Bilbo was very passionate about the kiss. When they broke apart they were both breathing heavily.

"I love you." Thorin huffed.

"I love you too sire." Bilbo sighed in defeat.

"We'll make it work." He said. "Because I love you."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit

Bilbo looked at Thorin's sleeping face. He got up slowly, not wanting to wake his sleeping king. He slipped on a light tunic to cover his bare body. He looked out the window at the moon. He'd always loved looking at the night sky. Like maybe it would swallow him up and then he could live among the stars. He looked down at his wrists, scarred from chains he'd worn. Chains that had bit into his skin and made him cry. He looked back at Thorin. Snoring loudly and sleeping soundly. Bilbo smiled at him and looked back out the window at the moon. It was beautiful and gentle and sweet, just like Thorin. Although Thorin's rage could chill the blood of any it fell upon, he had never gotten mad at Bilbo. The hobbit went about cleaning up the room, tidying, straightening, adjusting, perfecting everything for his master. He heard the sheets ruffle and looked over at Thorin who had rolled over. His arm had landed with a soft thud on the empty bed where Bilbo would have been. Bilbo looked around at the spotless room. He still had other things to do. He could not sleep yet. There was a grumpy moan from the dwarf. Bilbo put away his cleaning supplies silently before attending to his master. Thorin sat up and rubbed his head. "Bilbo?" He mumbled.

"Yes master?" Bilbo asked.

"Why are you not sleeping?" Thorin grumbled as he shuffled the sheets around his legs.

"I have work to do sir." Bilbo responded.

"Bilbo." Thorin groaned as he flopped back onto the pillows.

"I'm sorry sir but I really must be-" Bilbo was cut off when Thorin grabbed him by the waist and dragged him into bed next to him.

"Hush." Thorin mumbled as he snuggled closer to Bilbo.

"Sir." Bilbo mumbled with a ferocious blush burning his face. "Perhaps you would like to put on some pajamas?" Bilbo offered weakly.

"I see you've dressed." Thorin growled.

"Well...yes sire...I had work to do and it would be undignified to scrub the floors with no clothes on." Bilbo said.

"Quite." Thorin agreed.

"So...may I finish my work?" Bilbo asked.

"Did you enjoy last night?" Thorin asked. Bilbo figured that technically it wasn't last night because it was, in fact, the same night they were currently in. He decided not to say anything.

"Yes sire." Bilbo said shivering at the memory. Heat. Sweat. Moaning.

"I did too." Thorin said smiling as he nuzzled Bilbo's neck.

"Master?" Bilbo asked as he heard Thorin start to drift off to sleep.

"Yes Bilbo?" Thorin mumbled.

"What is to become of me?" Bilbo asked.

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked sitting up in bed. His arm was resting casually around Bilbo's waist as the hobbit too sat up.

"Well I can't see any wife of the king accepting her husband having a hobbit slave for a concubine." Bilbo said as his voice grew sad.

"Concubine?" Thorin grimaced. Bilbo shrugged. "Well she will not be important to me. She will be nothing but a bearer of my children. No love will befall her from me. She will have no say in anything in my life."

"That does not sound like a very fun life." Bilbo frowned.

"Well what do you want me to say?" Thorin snapped as he got up from the bed, leaving Bilbo in the quickly cooling bed. Bilbo frowned deeper.

"You're the king. You figure it out." Bilbo snapped back as he got out of bed and began dressing properly. "I have work to do." He said before leaving Thorin's bedroom, letting the door slam loudly upon his exit. Thorin stuck his head out the door to yell after him.

"Don't slam the door! Come back here! We're not done!" Thorin seethed.

Bilbo got to the kitchen and slit do the floor. Cool tiles greeted his rage heated body. Thorin was the king and he needed an heir. Thorin was the king and needed to make decisions for himself. Thorin was the king... "How could a king ever love a slave?" Bilbo mumbled as he started crying. After a moment he pulled himself together and stood. It was about 11:40 at night, the entire castle would be sleeping except him, and maybe Thorin. Bilbo sighed as he set about making food and preparations and then he went to the stable. He didn't need to do anything in the stable but he really didn't want to go back to Thorin's room. He began brushing all the horses down, mucking out the stalls, giving them fresh water, and putting a blanket on each one. When he was done it was that perfectly hazy moment between night and day. As if the world is still trying to decide if it's going to wake up for the morning and has yet to make up its mind. Bilbo sighed as he went to the well and pulled up a bucket of water. He went out to his usual little spot behind the castle in a little cubby no one used or even knew of. He washed himself and then when he was done he finally returned to the king's room.

"Finally." Thorin snarled as Bilbo walked in the door. The hobbit looked around the room in dismay. It was as if a raging bull rampaged through, everything was a mess. "Clean this up." Thorin said on his most commanding voice. "Oh and do it naked." He added. Bilbo cringed. This was revenge. Thorin had taken Bilbo's words to use against him. 'Undignified' was the term he'd used. "When you're done that make me breakfast." Thorin said.

"I've prepared a salad for you this morning." Bilbo said without his usual added 'sir' or 'master.' Bilbo had subconsciously made Thorin's favorite breakfast.

"I don't want that. I want toast and baked apples and some jam and cheese on crackers." Thorin said. "Well hurry up then. I'm hungry." Thorin snapped. Bilbo was being fueled by pure rage when he turned to the much larger creature, the king no less, and bowed, something he'd never done before. He had once told Thorin that he despised bowing and he said anyone who made someone else bow must think lowly of themselves if they need others to lower themselves before them.

"As you wish _master_." Bilbo said. He bit out the last word like it was a seething insult before he began stripping, right there in front of the king. He saw Thorin's cheeks flush as he finished undressing and began cleaning. He started by putting right the major furniture like overturned tables. He made the bed and put away the strewn clothes. Then he began collecting the broken bits of various objects either knocked off a table or thrown at a wall. He ignored all the cuts and blood from the broken bits as he put them in the bin for him to take out later. Then he got on his hands and knees, under the eyes of the king of the dwarves and scrubbed the floor with his bloody hands. When he was done cleaning, a task made even more difficult by his hands getting blood all over the floor as he scrubbed, he turned to Thorin whose face had softened. It was no longer the pinched rage filled grimace. "May I dress now _master_?" Bilbo asked biting out the word master again as if it were a disease.

"Yes." Thorin said. Bilbo dressed slowly before turning to leave the room. "Bilbo?" Thorin said as the hobbit in question reached the door. Bilbo paused. Normally he'd say 'Yes master?' but he did not. He just paused. "Are you upset with me?" Thorin asked. Bilbo tensed. This was a problem question. Answering yes would be approving his appalling behavior. Saying no would mean he was prolonging this torture.

"I'm not mad at you Thorin." Bilbo said at last. "Just disappointed." He said before going off to the kitchen to make Thorin's breakfast. When he returned Thorin was sitting in his chair at his table, waiting for breakfast. Bilbo had made everything the king had asked for but also brought the salad just in case.

"Bilbo?" Thorin said looking pointedly at the salad as he began eating. Bilbo once again said nothing. "Do you still love me?" Thorin asked. Bilbo finally looked into his eyes. Thorin's big sad eyes locked with Bilbo's hard stare. It was usually the other way around but not today. Thorin had finished eating and seemed to have no intention of looking away. Bilbo sighed and looked away.

"Yes." Bilbo said. "But right now I just...don't know why." Bilbo said as he left the room. But it wasn't true. He did know why. "Stupid." Bilbo muttered as his hands balled into fists. "I love you." He sighed dejectedly. "Your smile is like sunshine. Your laughter, like the moon. I don't know how I could wine. Am I acting like a loon? Your eyes are like the night sky. Your face is its own star. I cannot tell a lie. For surly you'd go to war." Bilbo felt himself slide to the floor, his back against the cool rock wall. "You are my king and I love you. But I wish you would take wing. I think it's time you knew. But it is time that you flew. Fly away my beautiful bird. I set you free. I do not want to be heard. You do not belong to me." Bilbo felt the tears well up in his eyes. He pulled his knees to his chest and put his head down on top of them and let himself cry. "You do not belong to me." Bilbo sobbed. He heard the king's door open. He felt the king's eyes on him. Bilbo looked up at his king, his master through the tears. "You do not belong to me. Fly away. I set you free." Bilbo said weakly before he put his head back down. He felt Thorin's arms around him, felt himself being lifted off the ground. He felt himself being carried into Thorin's bedroom. He did not dare move from his balled up position in Thorin's arms. He felt Thorin gently put him on the bed. He felt Thorin's hand trying to lift his head from his knees. He felt another trying to pry his hands from their tight wrap around his legs.

"Bilbo." Thorin murmured as he managed to unclasp Bilbo's hands. His hands snapped back to clasping around his legs. "Bilbo please." Thorin growled as he grabbed one of Bilbo's hands in each of his own and pried them apart. That snapped Bilbo out of his 'moment.' He stopped crying, twisted out of Thorin's grasp and clamored off the bed.

"I apologize master." Bilbo bowed as he wiped his face on his sleeve.

"...Bilbo?" Thorin asked.

"Yes sir? What can I do for you?" Bilbo asked as he began clearing up Thorin's breakfast.

"Tell me. What you want. What you desire. I'll give you anything." Thorin said as he grabbed Bilbo's hands, stilling them from their incessant cleaning.

"I don't want things sir. I live to make you happy." Bilbo responded. It was what Thorin's parents had told him when they first bought him. Bilbo never asked for toys or extra food or to have his chains taken away. He never asked for anything. Ever.

"I know what you want." Thorin said after a long silence in which Thorin thought very deeply about what Bilbo wanted. "And I'll give it to you." He began grinning from ear to ear as he dropped Bilbo's hands and hurried from the room to start the preparations. Bilbo looked after his master and shook his head before he continued his cleaning.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.

Thorin smiled as he checked the preparations again for the seventh time. He usually had Bilbo do things like this, planning things and setting things up and talking to people. He had given Bilbo all the tasks he could think of and was now waiting very impatiently for him to be done. He checked the preparations again. At last Bilbo arrived, being dragged by the elbow by one of Thorin's guards. Bilbo looked around warily; he disliked being in front of big crowds more than hunting. The guard gave him a little shove towards the king before leaving. Bilbo scurried over to Thorin who was sitting in his throne before a hoard of townspeople. Thorin was wearing a dark chain mail shirt with a matching dark sword at his side. He had big black metal boots and black pants. Bilbo had been forced into a white shirt but he refused the white pants, instead opting for black pants that were made from the finest material. He had never worn such nice clothes and he had to admit, he liked it. Thorin was wearing his most simple gold crown and he smiled at Bilbo as he approached. "Bilbo." Thorin bellowed merrily.

"Um...yes sir?" Bilbo murmured, eyes darting from the crowd to his king nervously. Thorin got down on one knee before Bilbo.

"Marry me Bilbo." Thorin smiled. Bilbo flushed. In front of the whole crowd? Silence. How could he turn Thorin down in front of all these people?

"But an heir..." Bilbo began before stopping when Thorin shook his head. My nephew Kili is to inherit my crown. His brother Fili is the eldest of their kingdom and when they are both kings they will wed, uniting our kingdoms.

"But I am a slave..." Bilbo said, once again stopping as Thorin shook his head.

"I released you remember? In the woods." He smiled.

"I am a hobbit." Bilbo said.

"You are my hobbit." Thorin smiled sweetly. Bilbo shook his head in defeat.

"I suppose if you have it all worked out I can't say no." Bilbo sighed. Thorin chuckled and stood up grabbing Bilbo in a tight hug. When he pulled back two more people had shown up. A dwarf young with dark hair, holding a red velvet pillow with a simple silver crown on it, and an old dwarf with grey hair.

"The crown Kili." Thorin said. Bilbo bowed his head to the dwarf as the crown was placed on his head. Kili smiled, bowed, and then backed away.

"I approve this marriage." Said the old dwarf. They had witnesses, and an officiator to approve their wedding. Bilbo smiled up at Thorin who looked pleased, probably because his planning was going off well.

"Now to the banquet hall!" Thorin bellowed as he scooped up Bilbo in his arms. The crowd cheered and everyone began going to the celebratory dinner. They seemed okay with their king being wed to an ex-slave hobbit man. Let's hope everyone else is too...

The End


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